Frost Bank Tower Facts for Kids

This page is about the skyscraper in Austin. For the San Antonio skyscraper, see Frost Tower.

Quick facts for kids Frost Bank Tower
The Frost Bank Tower
Alternative names	FBT, Congress at Fourth, Fourth & Congress
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Office
Location	401 Congress Avenue Austin, Texas
Coordinates	30°15′59″N 97°44′34″W / 30.266489°N 97.742689°W / 30.266489; -97.742689
Construction started	November 27, 2001
Completed	2003
Opening	January 23, 2004
Cost	$137 million
Height
Roof	515 ft (157 m)
Top floor	400 ft (122 m)
Technical details
Floor count	33
Floor area	50,680 m² (545,500 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators	15
Design and construction
Architect	HKS, Inc., Duda/Paine Architects
Developer	Cousins Properties
Structural engineer	Brockette Davis Drake
Main contractor	Constructors & Associates Inc.

The Frost Bank Tower is a very tall building, known as a skyscraper, located in Austin, Texas. It stands 515 feet (157 m) high and has 33 floors. This makes it the fifth tallest building in Austin. It is shorter than The Independent, The Austonian, Fairmont Austin, and the 360 Condominiums.

The building was constructed by Cousins Properties between November 2001 and December 2003. It was designed as a modern office building with lots of space for businesses. The Frost Bank Tower was special because it was the first tall building to be built in the United States after the events of September 11, 2001. It officially opened in January 2004.

The Frost Bank Tower was designed by Duda/Paine Architects, LLP and HKS, Inc.. It has the highest company logo in Austin, placed at 420 feet (128 m) up. This logo belongs to Frost Bank, whose main Austin offices are inside the building. Other companies like Morgan Stanley, Ernst & Young, and PIMCO also have offices here. The building's shiny blue glass was first used on the Reuters Building in New York City. Over the years, the building has been owned by several different companies, and it is currently owned by Endeavor Real Estate Group.

History of the Frost Bank Tower
Design and Features
- Building Amenities
Location in Austin's Skyline
Images for kids
See also

History of the Frost Bank Tower

The Frost Bank Tower at dusk

In 1998, the land where the Frost Bank Tower now stands was bought by T.Stacy & Associates. They later sold it to Cousins Properties in 2001. The first plan for the building was to make it 352 feet (107 m) tall with 27 floors. However, the final design was much taller, reaching 515 feet (157 m) with 33 floors.

Construction on the tower began on November 27, 2001. It was a significant project because it was the tallest building to start construction in the United States after the September 11 attacks. The building was finished in 2003 and officially opened in 2004. At that time, it became the tallest building in Austin, Texas. It was also the fourth tallest building in Texas outside of Dallas and Houston. In 2003, the cost to build the tower was about $137 million.

After 2007, Austin started building many more skyscrapers. The Frost Bank Tower was soon surpassed in height by the 360 Condominiums in 2008, which is 581 feet (177 m) tall.

Design and Features

The Frost Bank Tower was designed by Duda/Paine Architects, LLP and HKS, Inc.. It is one of the most easily recognized buildings in Austin. The building starts with a rectangular shape at the bottom. As it goes up, it changes shape, becoming a square point at the very top.

The bottom part of the building is made of smooth limestone. The main part of the tower is covered in a special blue glass called "low-e glass skin." This type of glass is thicker and helps with energy efficiency. The Frost Bank Tower is one of only two buildings in the world with this specific blue glass. The other is the Reuters Building in New York City.

The building's glass panels are folded and step back. This creates a unique, pyramid-like shape at the top. The top section, about 150 feet (46 m) tall, lights up at night. Sometimes, the lights change color for special events. For example, it lit up in the colors of the University of Texas Longhorns when they won the 2006 Rose Bowl. More than 200,000 square feet (60,960 sq m) of glass was used for the outside of the building. The top section alone used 45,000 square feet (13,716 sq m) of glass.

The building also has a large 11-level parking garage. It can hold more than 1,400 cars.

Building Amenities

The Frost Bank Tower offers many useful features for the people who work there. These include conference rooms for meetings and a concierge service. There is also 24-hour access using a special card key and a fully equipped fitness center. The building has modern communication systems and a heating and cooling system that tenants can control.

For food, there are upscale restaurants, a deli for quick meals, and a coffee shop. There is also a dry-cleaner service. During construction, a tradition was followed: a small Christian cross made of tin was placed into the concrete of each floor. The last one was added on May 27, 2003. This idea came from a story about an immigrant worker in New York City in the 1940s. Also, a 30-foot (9.1 m) cedar tree was lifted to the top of the building during a special ceremony.

Location in Austin's Skyline

The Frost Bank Tower is the fifth tallest building in Austin. It stands at 515 feet (157 m) tall. It is located near the center of downtown Austin, at 4th Street and Congress Avenue. The building covers most of its city block. Because of its height and central location, the Frost Bank Tower is a well-known part of Austin's skyline. Many people in Austin were excited when it was built, seeing it as a key feature of the city's look.